


Deluge

by ArturoSavinni



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 10:09:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2688905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArturoSavinni/pseuds/ArturoSavinni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robin finds his red-headed friend brooding in the rain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deluge

  “What are you doing?” Robin asked with a slight growl, having crept up on his friend Colin.

  And he _was_ Colin for the time being. Abuse’s large trench coat swallowed him whole, as his hat hid most of his face. He didn’t respond to the question, just continued to kick his feet idly over the ledge of the roof. The familiar tut of annoyance emerged from the boy behind him. “I asked you a question, Wilkes.”

  “Just thinking.” Colin finally answered and peered over the roof's edge, down to the pavement below.

  Damian jumped up onto the ridge, with hands on his hips, as though he was expecting more of an answer. However Colin did not provide him with anything further. He blew out a puff of air and crouched down beside his friend. “Well, _why_ are you thinking, in the _rain_?” The _freezing_ rain, Damian’s mind supplied as an afterthought, making him curl his cape around his form, blocking out the wind.

  Colin merely shrugged his shoulders in response. Which promptly made his friend roll his eyes and scowl. The redhead was being entirely too quiet and aloof. It caused for the other to feel slightly unsettled.

  Robin turned to face the young boy. That’s when he saw it. Colin was a _boy_. He had been so accustomed to viewing his friend as someone like himself, mature beyond his years, and _not_ a child. Colin looked downright melancholy, fraught with the beginnings of teenage angst, except Damian knew that his comrade’s feelings couldn’t possibly be so frivolous. He didn’t know what to do.

  “I was... just thinking,” Colin finally supplied after several minutes of silence, “that it’s unlikely that I will get adopted.”

  It was such a candid and resolute confession, it threw Damian off-guard even further. For the first time, he wanted to comfort someone, not because he had to, because he was Robin and it was expected, but because it was his friend and he cared. Only, he wasn’t sure how.

  “I turned thirteen last month.” Colin said quietly. He looked up at the sky, the rain pelting his face as his hat slid off his head. “Teenagers rarely ever get adopted and that’s the normal ones.” The boy let out a long sigh, and continued to let the rain assault his face. “Usually I don’t really think about it, I mean I’ve been on my own for as long as I can remember... but I guess I just let some dumb kids get under my skin.” At that he laughed a little ruefully and finally turned to face Damian. An insincere smile crossed his lips. “Pretty stupid huh?”

  The other boy frowned. “Yes.” He answered after a moment. Colin chuckled, like he was expecting that answer all along. “Tt. It is everyone elses loss, not yours.” Damian finished with an air of haughtiness. He wouldn’t be friends with just anyone after all.

  At that Colin blinked. He hadn’t been expecting that it seemed. It made his former smile turn into a genuine one. He nudged Damian’s knee with his shoulder. “Thanks.” He let out another sigh, though it was less forlorn than before. His arm grew and reached back to grab his fallen hat. “Wanna go fight some bad guys?” He asked, his tone lighter and less constricted.

  His friend gave him a curt nod and stood up. Before Colin could grow completely into Abuse, Damian placed a hand over his shoulder. “I meant what I said. You are... you’re good.” He finished awkwardly and then quickly spun around to fire off his grappling line.

When Damian was down in the alley floor waiting for him, Colin thanked him again, quietly, feeling much better than he had at the beginning of the night.


End file.
